Latest news with #LACDPH
Yahoo
03-08-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Teenager and Toddler Contract Parasite Spread by Exposure to Raccoon Feces
The two unrelated children were hospitalized and treated for B. procyonis infectionsNEED TO KNOW Two California children contracted a rare parasite commonly spread by raccoon feces and occasionally by dogs The two unrelated kids — a teenager and a toddler — were hospitalized and treated for B. procyonis infections in 2024 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says people should "avoid contact with raccoons and their feces"Two children in California contracted a rare parasite that is commonly spread by raccoon feces and occasionally by dogs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) detailed two 2024 cases of a B. procyonis infection found in two unrelated children — a 14-year-old boy and a 15-month-old boy — in its latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, published on Thursday, July 31. The infection, commonly referred to as raccoon roundworm infection, is caused by the Baylisascaris procyonis roundworm, which is often spread by exposure to raccoon feces and can also be transmitted to dogs in rare cases. According to the report, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH) was notified last year of two patients with neurological signs and symptoms — such as behavioral change, lethargy and "gait instability" — consistent with the infection. Both cases were in the South Bay area of Los Angeles County, according to a LACDPH release from September 2024. According to the CDC, raccoons can "shed millions of roundworm eggs in their feces every day," which then become infective after a few weeks and can develop into larvae when consumed by "nondefinitive hosts." There have only been 35 cases in humans reported in the U.S., the health organization said. The teenage boy, who is autistic, had a history of ingesting non-food items and was initially hospitalized in May 2024 due to a series of "behavioral changes," according to the new information from the CDC. After "enhancing" lesions were detected in the boy's brain, doctors discovered and treated what the CDC called "a live parasitic nematode" in his eye. The teen was prescribed medication for a six-week period, before symptoms "subsequently resolved" and he returned to his "baseline neurologic status," according to the agency. The second patient, a toddler, was also hospitalized that June, before a brain MRI found "diffuse white matter abnormalities." Months later, doctors eventually discovered a "live parasitic nematode" in his eye — which, like the older boy, was treated with a laser. Both boys were also treated with a drug for paramedic worms, albendazole and the anti-inflammatory corticosteroids. While a source of the infection was not clear for the toddler, the CDC reported that a raccoon latrine — or an area where the animals defecate — was located on the rooftop of the teenager's home, "directly above the entrance to the premises, allowing feces to roll onto the landing below." The child was suspected to have consumed the feces or feces-contaminated soil. Due to the extent that raccoons visit the home, and unsuccessful efforts to move the animal's latrine, the family is planning on moving, the CDC said. "Given the severity of disease in humans, the high prevalence of B. procyonis infection in raccoons, and the proximity of raccoons to humans and pets, B. procyonis is a substantial public health concern," the CDC said. "To prevent infection, the public should avoid contact with raccoons and their feces, not keep raccoons as pets, ensure that children or persons with developmental disabilities do not place contaminated objects or fingers into their mouths, practice good hand hygiene after outdoor activities and safely remove raccoon latrines on properties, paying special attention to flat surfaces such as rooftops, decks, tree stumps, or unsealed attics and other areas where raccoons prefer to defecate," they continued. Since dogs can also be infected, the CDC encourages dog owners to prevent their pets from eating raccoon feces and said pets should be treated with a "year-round parasite prevention product." Read the original article on People
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Hepatitis A outbreak declared in Los Angeles County
Local health officials have declared a hepatitis A outbreak in Los Angeles County due to a recent surge in cases. 'A following sustained increase in clinical crow cases and elevated virus levels detected in local wastewater,' the county's Department of Public Health said in a statement on Monday. In 2024, there were 165 confirmed hepatitis A cases in L.A. County, which is three times more than the prior year. A total of 29 cases have been confirmed in 2025 so far, officials said. 'Most [of the new cases] have been among people without travel or housing risk factors,' LACDPH explained. 'This increase in hepatitis A infections among people without risk factors has corresponded with recent increases in hepatitis A wastewater concentrations.' 'While risk to the public remains low, community-wide protection actions are needed to ensure that the transmission of hepatitis A is reduced,' LACDPH said. Health officials recommend getting the hepatitis A vaccine and practicing good hygiene to protect yourself. Hepatitis A is a highly contagious liver infection caused by a virus. It can range from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a severe illness lasting several months. According to LACDPH, symptoms of hepatitis A include fever, weakness, fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes), stomach pain, vomiting, dark urine, pale stools and diarrhea. More information surrounding the outbreak can be found here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Los Angeles officials launch online post-wildfire health dashboard
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has launched an interactive online dashboard that provides the public with access to environmental and personal health monitoring in the wake of the January wildfires. Offering a visual overview of monitoring locations across L.A. County, the dashboard – part of the Los Angeles County Post-Fire Air, Soil and Water Assessment Plan – was developed in collaboration with regional and state partners, LACDPH said in a media release issued Wednesday. The technology offers users a visual overview of monitoring locations, including places where assessments are being conducted to measure four key metrics: Air: Evaluation of indoor and outdoor air quality to detect pollutants that may affect respiratory health Surface: Testing for contaminants on indoor surfaces, soil, coastal sand and wildfire debris to determine exposure risks Water: Sampling of coastal waters, freshwater sources and pools to monitor for wildfire-related contaminations Human health: Voluntary blood lead testing to determine potential exposure, particularly for children and other vulnerable individuals 'This dashboard is part of Los Angeles County's commitment to transparency, public engagement and community well-being,' LACDPH officials said in Wednesday's media release. 'By making this information accessible, the department aims to empower residents with timely, science-based insights into potential environmental health impacts of the recent wildfires.' The data collected and shared through the dashboard will continue to inform long-term recovery efforts and guide health recommendations; however, officials noted that the technology currently does not have data for all locations, such as paths from mobile monitoring units. That information will be added to the new dashboard once it is available, Public Health said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Person who arrived from Taiwan with measles visited Los Angeles area nail salon, grocery store: officials
Health officials in L.A. County are advising that a person infected with measles recently arrived in Los Angeles and visited at least two businesses before the virus was detected. The person is an L.A. County resident who arrived at LAX Terminal B on Mar. 5, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. They flew in on China Airlines Flight 8, which is the airline's Taipei-to-L.A. route, and were in the Tom Bradley International Terminal between 7 p.m. and 10:40 p.m. that night. Passengers assigned to specific seats that may have been exposed on the flight will be notified by local departments of health, officials said, adding that the Centers for Disease Control is assisting in the notification process. In-N-Out CEO Lynsi Snyder says her company remains a family despite 'betrayal' from colleagues Two days after arriving, the individual went to a nail salon in North Hollywood called Cloud 9 Nails, which is located at 5142 N. Lankershim Blvd. On Monday, the person went to the Superior Grocery Store located at 10683 Valley Blvd. in El Monte. 'Individuals who were at those locations on the specified dates and times may be at risk of developing measles due to exposure to this individual,' the Health Department said in a bulletin issued Tuesday. Exposed individuals should confirm if they have been vaccinated against measles, and if they are not, they are at risk of contracting the disease. According to health officials, symptoms typically take a week to three weeks to develop after being exposed. Common measles symptoms include: High fever (over 101 degrees) Cough Runny nose Red and watery eyes Measles rash (appears 3-5 days after other signs of illness) The virus spreads easily through the air when an infected person breathes, talks, coughs or sneezes, according to LACDPH. It can stay airborne and on surfaces for many hours, even after the infected person has left the area. 'The infected person can spread the disease up to four days before a measles rash appears and up to four days after the rash appears,' officials said. 'If other people breathe the contaminated air or touch the infected surface, then touch their eyes, noses or mouths, they can become infected.' Boy, 13, calls 911 after intruder fatally shoots father in Arcadia home Public health officials stated that all people diagnosed with measles in California to date have had some sort of international travel. The last measles case in an L.A. County resident came in February 2024, LACDPH added. Measles can be prevented with a measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. Officials say that most health insurances cover the cost of the vaccine; insured persons should check with their doctor or pharmacy to see which vaccines are offered. A list of clinics that provide no-cost or low-cost immunizations to children in Los Angeles County can be found here. This latest measles case comes two weeks after an Orange County infant arrived in L.A. from Korea with measles and amid a nationwide outbreak in 12 states. According to the CDC, as of March 6, 222 measles cases have been reported across the U.S. this year, and that number is likely to increase. At least one death has been reported due to the outbreak, which was an unvaccinated school-aged child in Texas who died from the virus last month. Another unvaccinated person from New Mexico tested positive for measles after they died; however, their official cause of death is still under investigation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Health officials: ER Visits for burns, eye issues rose 8-fold during L.A. fires
Los Angeles County residents are still recovering from the devastation of the Palisades and Eaton fires, and new data show that emergency department visits for wildfire-related issues jumped eight-fold in the days after the fires broke out. In fact, the new data "likely underestimate the prevalence of wildfire-associated ED encounters," a team led by Emily Kajita of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health concludes. Fueled by bone-dry conditions and winds reaching gusts of 100 mph, the Palisades and Eaton fires roared through tens of thousands of acres, destroying more than 16,000 structures and killing 29 people. The fires took weeks to put out completely and dirtied the air Los Angelenos breathed during that time. Kajita and colleagues looked at LACDPH data on ED encounters occurring in 90% of hospitals across the county. Overall, ED visits actually dropped by 9% in the first six days after the fires broke out, compared to the three weeks prior. The researchers note that this is in keeping with ED trends during natural disasters generally, as people focus more on moving away from affected areas; schools and businesses are shut down; and many folks take added precautions around their health. However, between Jan. 7 and 12, a sharp spike in ED encounters occurred for illnesses and injuries linked directly to the fires. Rates for these visits spiked eight-fold, from 0.06% of encounters before the blazes began to 0.52% of visits, peaking at 1% of ED encounters Jan. 8, the data showed. Most of these wildfire-related visits involved burns or eye-related symptoms. There was no notable increase during the six-day period in ED encounters for heart- or asthma-related issues, as has been seen during wildfire events occurring elsewhere, Kajita's group noted. That might be due to the fact that the county was already deep into "peak" viral illness season, so added encounters for respiratory issues might have been masked by that seasonal trend. These and other factors may have led to an underestimation of true ED visits prompted by the wildfires, they said. The findings offer lessons on how to better prepare for future fire events, the team said. "Sharing communications with the general public about the importance of minimizing exposures to wildfire smoke, especially during the first few days of wildfire events" could ease the impact of such disasters on public health, the researchers said. The findings were published Thursday in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a journal of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More information Find out how you can minimize the health impact of wildfire smoke at the California Air Resources Board. Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
